Occupy Iowa Protesters Talk About Arrests

UPDATED 5:23 AM CDT Oct 10, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa -

More than 30 Occupy Iowa protesters were arrested Sunday night in front of the Iowa Statehouse.

The demonstrators were warned twice about trespassing before the arrests began around 11 p.m. Sunday. Iowa State Patrol officials had warned the protesters that they didn't have a permit to camp on state-owned land after the 11 p.m curfew.

Occupy Iowa is an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement that started in New York City last month. Protesters have been speaking out against corporate greed and the gap between rich and poor people.

"We used the amount of force necessary to make the arrest," said Sgt. Scott Bright of the Iowa State Patrol.

The video of the event shows people being dragged and placed face-first on the ground and handcuffed.

Monday morning, the Occupy Iowa protesters talked about their experiences as they were released from jail.

"The State Patrol came and pepper sprayed and smashed their faces into the concrete and picked them up and arrested them," said Tizzy Hyatt, an Occupy Iowa protester.

"The gentleman next to me was maced and pulled apart; someone else was hit in the face. We had people dragged away and they came to jail with bloody knees and bloody arms," said Jon Overlin, an Occupy Iowa protester.

Bright said reports indicate only one person was maced and he said wrestling with tightly linked protestors can be physical.

"When people get into a situation like this and people start locking their arms, it might look like we're using force on them," said Bright.

An attorney who witnessed the arrests and now represents several of the protestors said she'll demand jury trials for any client who asks for one.

"What I saw was a complete overreaction by the state troopers. It's the worst I've seen in Iowa and I've seen civil resistance actions since 1990," said Sally Frank, an Attorney and Drake University professor.

She said a permit to stay in the park past 11 p.m. was impossible to get on such short notice, and the protestors had a right to be there.

Bright said troopers were just enforcing the law.

"If they'd left at 11 o'clock, none of this would have happened," said Bright.

Some of the protesters jailed on Sunday night said they will likely be back in jail on Monday night, when they choose to stay in the park again after 11 p.m.

Similar protests were being held elsewhere in Iowa, including one in which protesters camped out at an Iowa City park. No arrests were reported in Iowa City.

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